Green Key International signs UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge

By signing the UNESCO and Expedia Group’s Sustainable Pledge, Green Key further strengthens its mission of promoting sustainable travel, community resilience and heritage conservation globally.

©Eddy Billard

Green Key’s endorsement of the UNESCO Pledge means a further 3,200 properties across more than 60 countries will become part of the UNESCO Pledge, taking the total to more than 9,000 properties worldwide. The Green Key eco-label initiative is overseen by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and its national member organisations. Its priorities include increasing the use of environmentally friendly and sustainable methods and technology to reduce resource waste and helping to create sustainable behavioural change in the hospitality and tourism industry. It rigorously audits the high environmental standards expected of its sites, which include hotels, hostels, and holiday parks and other categories in the hospitality sector.

Consumers are increasingly aware of the impact travel can have on local environments, economies and individuals. A recent survey from Expedia Group revealed that nearly two in three (59%)1 travelers are willing to pay more to make their trip more sustainable. The willingness to spend extra on sustainability shows that the environment is top of mind for many travelers.

Since its creation in 2019, the UNESCO Pledge has expanded, with major hotel groups and independent hotels signing up and committing to concrete, transparent and achievable action. Participating hotels support the reduction and elimination of single-use plastics and waste, the conservation of energy and water, and promote sustainable community engagement. They receive a ‘We signed the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge’ certificate, renew their commitment every year, and report on progress achieved. They also receive increased visibility with a badge on multiple travel booking sites across the Expedia Group marketplace.

Jean-Philippe Monod, SVP Government and Corporate Affairs, Expedia Group, said: “The number of organisations, hotels and properties signing up to the UNESCO Pledge is increasing at an astonishing pace, with more than 9,000 properties now committed to the cause. We are delighted to partner with Green Key - a champion of sustainable tourism - and this announcement demonstrates that more and more travel businesses are willing to make concrete and transparent commitments to sustainability as the threat of climate change becomes more real by the day.”

Ernesto Ottone R., Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO, said: “The UNESCO Pledge provides a framework for action on the ground to improve livelihoods and chart a path to a more sustainable future for travel. The commitment from Green Key International represents a significant milestone, and we are pleased to welcome more than 3,000 new properties as advocates of the UNESCO Pledge. We urge others to sign up to the Pledge and commit to progress around these essential sustainable tourism priorities, from reducing single-use plastic to saving water and energy usage, and strengthening the engagement, benefit and resiliency of local communities.”

Finn Bolding Thomsen, Green Key International Director, said: “With Green Key being a leading standard of environmental and sustainable operations within the tourism industry, we are happy to enter a partnership with UNESCO and Expedia Group to support that thousands of properties across the world implement sustainable and resourceful practices to reduce the industry's overall environmental footprint."

The UNESCO Pledge is available on the Expedia Group and UNESCO global site.

Green Key and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals: SDG #14

Green Key is a leading standard of excellence in the field of sustainable tourism, guiding tourism establishments to do their part in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. In our new feature series we will present each of the 17 SDGs and explain their connection to Green Key. 

In 2015, the UN member states adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to guide governments, the private sector and civil society in transforming our world into safer, fairer and more livable place.   

On this page, you will learn more about Goal 14: "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development".

What is Goal 14 about?

According to the UN "Oceans, along with coastal and marine resources, play an essential role in human well-being and social and economic development worldwide. They are particularly crucial for people living in coastal communities, who represented 37 per cent of the global population in 2010. Oceans provide livelihoods and tourism benefits, as well as subsistence and income. They also help regulate the global ecosystem by absorbing heat and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and protecting coastal areas from flooding and erosion". In the link above, you can read about the targets and indicators to Goal 14. 

Coastal areas receive the highest percentage of tourists. If not managed sustainably, the tourism industry can have detrimental effects on marine ecosystems. If this is the case, then the hospitality industry is putting its own business at risk, as clean beaches, thriving marine ecosystems like coral reefs or mangrove forests, as well as healthy populations of marine wildlife are often the very reasons why tourists choose one destination over the other, and they end up being the most at risk when harmful environmental pollution comes into play. 

Tourism establishments can and should play an active role in the protection of the marine environment: if they ensure proper waste and wastewater management, reduce the use of toxic chemicals that could potentially enter the water cycle, and refrain from purchasing endangered seafood, their impacts on the environment will be drastically mitigated.

How does Green Key help to achieve goal 14?

Green Key 2022-2025 criteria are built in close connection with the organisation’s GAIA 20:30 strategy, whereby biodiversity conservation and environmental pollution prevention are two of the main pillars of FEE’s plan for the coming years. SDG 14 is particularly relevant in Green Key’s actions as it addresses key components of the hospitality industry, such as the resilience of marine ecosystems (SDG target 14.2), the need to reduce land-derived marine pollution (SDG target 14.1) and to support regulation against unsustainable over-fishing practices (SDG target 14.4), for example by providing small scale fishers more equitable access to markets and resources (SDG target 14.c).

It is also worth mentioning that Green Key partners up with the Blue Flag programme, also part of the FEE network, in the collective effort to make the tourism industry more sustainable. The Blue Flag programme certifies beaches, marinas, and tourism boats according to a variety of sustainability criteria, so that negative impacts on the environment are reduced, and that education about the role of coastal areas and of the oceans as ecosystems is improved.

Here are some of the ways Green Key contributes to the achievement of SDG 14:

• WATER POLLUTION PREVENTION - High concentrations of nutrients and other pollutants in the water can cause oxygen depletion and fish die-offs in water ecosystems. In Green Key certified establishments, all wastewaters must be treated in accordance with national and local regulations (criterion 4.8), so that the effluent meets the standards for the concentration of such pollutants. The establishment can either be connected to an existing public sewage system or have the wastewater treated in an on-site treatment plant (4.15) and reuse treated effluent for suitable purposes. Furthermore, to prevent excesses of chemicals from entering the water cycle, the use of hazardous compounds in cleaning and gardening products must be minimised (criteria category 5 and criterion 10.1);

• RESPONSIBLE SOURCING OF SEAFOOD PRODUCTS – Establishments are highly encouraged to plan their sourcing of food and beverages to avoid negative impacts on marine and aquatic ecosystems. Local, organic, and fair-trade food products should be preferred, e.g. fish and seafood coming from small local fishers (criteria 8.1, 8.10). Products deriving from protected or endangered species must neither be served, sold nor displayed within the establishments’ premises (8.2, 11.3). Green Key also encourages establishments to inform guests about whether food served in the restaurant is organic, fair-trade, eco-labeled or locally produced, so that customers can make well-informed decisions about their meals;

• SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT – Due to poor waste management and unclosed resource cycles too many tons of plastic and other solid waste end up polluting the oceans every year,. Ocean currents and marine winds move marine litter around the globe, harming not only the local ecosystems but also affecting destinations far away from the pollution source. Aside from the ecological impact marine litter has, it also affects the aesthetic attractiveness of a destination. Clean beaches and safe bathing waters are preconditions for flourishing coastal tourism. Tourism establishments should therefore have a specific interest in reducing the amount of waste they produce and in contributing to a clean destination. To support that, Green Key certified establishments must have waste plans and management systems in place to ensure effective collection, storage, and disposal of residues from their daily operations (category 6 of the criteria).

A document describing Green Key’s overall contribution to all 17 Sustainable Development Goals can be downloaded here.

Green Key and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals: SDG #5

Green Key is a leading standard of excellence in the field of sustainable tourism, guiding tourism establishments to do their part in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. In our new feature series we will present each of the 17 SDGs and explain their connection to Green Key. 

In 2015, the UN member states adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to guide governments, the private sector and civil society in transforming our world into safer, fairer and more livable place.   

On this page, you will learn more about Goal 5: "Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls".

What is Goal 5 about?

According to the UN, "Gender inequality persists worldwide, depriving women and girls of their basic rights and opportunities. Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls will require more vigorous efforts, including legal frameworks, to counter deeply rooted gender-based discrimination that often results from patriarchal attitudes and related social norms."

Although women make up the majority of the workforce in tourism in most parts of the world, they are mainly employed in low-paid jobs and in those with a lower status, such as housekeeping. Furthermore, many women are engaged in unpaid work for family businesses, which excludes them from formal employment and the possibility to develop a professional career. 

How does Green Key help to achieve Goal 5?

In 2016, Green Key expanded its criteria with a new section called "Corporate Social Responsibility" to make sure that the programme does not only consider the environmental dimension of sustainability, but also its social aspects. With the new 2022-2025 criteria, this criteria section has been strengthened to ask establishments a more active commitment on issues such as gender equity (SDG target 5.1) and women’s economic rights (SDG target 5.a):

• GENDER EQUITY - Criterion 11.5 explicitly encourages certified establishments to be equitable in hiring women, including in management positions. In the UN’s own words: “regardless of where you live, gender equality is a fundamental human right”, and so are equal access to employment and fair economic treatment. At Green Key, we believe that by actively including and empowering women and minorities in the operations of an establishment, deeper workplace diversity can be achieved, thus developing healthier and more enriching relationships in the working environment;

• COMPLIANCE WITH LABOUR REGULATION - Furthermore, it is imperative for all Green Key certified establishments, e.g. as part of their sustainability policy, to ensure that their employees receive fair treatment without discrimination in compliance with local, national, and international regulations on labour, thereby making an effort to remove workplace obstacles that are related to gender identity (criterion 11.1). 

In summary, by granting previously excluded groups an opportunity to grow and thrive, each company can bring their own contribution towards the growth of their communities, and previously untapped potential can finally be unlocked and bring society one step closer to the common goal that is environmental, economic, and social sustainability.

A document describing Green Key’s overall contribution to all 17 Sustainable Development Goals can be downloaded here.

Green Key and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals: SDG #9

Green Key is a leading standard of excellence in the field of sustainable tourism, guiding tourism establishments to do their part in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. In our new feature series we will present each of the 17 SDGs and explain their connection to Green Key. 

In 2015, the UN member states adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to guide governments, the private sector and civil society in transforming our world into safer, fairer and more livable place.   

On this page, you will learn more about Goal 9: "Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation"

What is Goal 9 about?

According to the UN, "Goal 9 encompasses three important aspects of sustainable development: infrastructure, industrialisation and innovation. Infrastructure provides the basic physical systems and structures essential to the operation of a society or enterprise. Industrialisation drives economic growth, creates job opportunities and thereby reduces income poverty. Innovation advances the technological capabilities of industrial sectors and prompts the development of new skills.” In the link above, you can read about the targets and indicators to Goal 9. 

Sustainable development depends on innovation and technological process that help optimise the use of resources and minimise the environmental impact of infrastructures. Infrastructure development causes a great share of total worldwide emissions, while at the same time representing a huge opportunity for environmental performance improvement. Energy efficiency, responsible construction waste management, eco-friendly material sourcing, climate risk reduction, green area integration, clean technologies… These are only some of the solutions XXI century has to offer to significantly lower the impact new infrastructure and renovations have on the environment.

How does Green Key help to achieve Goal 9?

The environmental performance of an establishment is strongly connected to how thermo-efficient the building is, how spaces are organised and how ventilation is managed. For this reason, the Green Key programme encourages its certified establishments to consider building upgrades (SDG target 9.4) as a way to optimise resource consumption and save activity costs. Renovations should be carried out with environmental sustainability, resilience, and reliability in mind, using adequate materials and adopting smart engineering solutions to lower impacts. The programme promotes innovation and sustainable infrastructure in several ways:

• CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES – Green Key nudges establishments to reduce their consumption of water, heat, and energy using latest technologies such as energy-saving appliances (criteria category 7), water-saving devices (criteria category 4) and renewable energy use and/or on-site production (criteria 7.13, 7.14, 7.29). The programme partners up with many companies and startups making a real effort in the advancement of green technologies that can make a real change for Green Key sites’ environmental performance;

• INSULATION AND BUILDING RATING – National and international classifications often provide requirements that can help establishments improve their environmental performance and reduce their energy consumption, by optimising insulation and energy efficiency in the building. By preventing heat loss in the cold months or heat intake in the summer, air conditioning, heating and cooling (HVAC) systems end up consuming less than they would in a poorly insulated building. For these reasons, Green Key recommends certified establishments to apply for green building ratings (criterion 7.20) and find out how they can improve their performance, e.g. by increasing insulation of windows above national compliance standards (criterion 7.17). Investments in cleaner solutions and insulation can be paid back in time, for example by lower bills and utilities.

• RENOVATION MATERIALS – Renovation, upgrades and refurbishments of infrastructure represent opportunities for establishments to improve their environmental performance, but they also generate construction waste and pollution. Green Key endorses its certified establishments to pick materials responsibly to make sure that renovations have the lowest negative impacts for the environment and the well-being of the users of the building, for example by choosing eco-friendly (criterion 9.5) and locally sourced materials (9.6), so that transportation, cleaning, waste handling and maintenance costs are taken into account and always kept low.

A document describing Green Key’s overall contribution to all 17 Sustainable Development Goals can be downloaded here.

Green Key and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals: SDG #13

Green Key is a leading standard of excellence in the field of sustainable tourism, guiding tourism establishments to do their part in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. In our new feature series we will present each of the 17 SDGs and explain their connection to Green Key. 

In 2015, the UN member states adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to guide governments, the private sector and civil society in transforming our world into safer, fairer and more livable place.   

On this page, you will learn more about Goal 13: "Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts".

What is Goal 13 about?

According to the UN "Climate change presents the single biggest threat to development, and its widespread, unprecedented impacts disproportionately burden the poorest and most vulnerable. Urgent action to combat climate change and minimize its disruptions is integral to the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals". In the link above, you can read about the targets and indicators to Goal 13. 

The hospitality industry is one of the most sensitive to climate change, as the tourist experience in most cases depends on steady climate conditions, which for example guarantee snow for winter sports, or pleasant weather in the case of beach holiday destinations. In addition, the increase of extreme weather events such as hurricanes might influence tourists’ decisions and travel patterns, and it might represent a disadvantage for the tourism industry in the affected countries. On the other hand, tourism itself is negatively impacting the climate, mainly by generating greenhouse gas emissions due to travel-related emissions and resource consumption, among others.

How does Green Key help to achieve Goal 13?

Out of all SDG 13 targets, the Green Key criteria focus specifically on raising climate change awareness and on increasing capacity for mitigation and reporting (SDG target 13.2, 13.3).

• GHG DATA AND CALCULATION TOOL – As it is the case for other data collected within the framework of the programme, Green Key believes that decision-making at the management level should consider concrete data on the establishment’s sustainability performance and stir strategic planning accordingly. 2022-2025 criteria increasingly stress the importance for certified establishments to calculate their CO2 footprint, and provide them with a free carbon footprint tool (criterion 1.6);

• GHG REDUCTION TARGETS – Green Key certified establishments are also encouraged to set concrete targets for the reduction of their GHG emissions (1.7), eventually aiming for carbon neutrality (1.8). Committing to take part in the fight for the climate means that establishments are willing to take responsibility for their actions regarding their environmental footprint. When more and more establishments adhere to this collective effort, others will be pushed to do so too, and to take an active stance in the transition towards sustainability, so that large-scale changes occur across the whole hospitality industry;

• CARBON OFFSET SCHEMES – Guests who pick Green Key certified establishments should be given the possibility to compensate for their emissions through carbon schemes (criterion 1.9) that invest funds and donations in projects that contribute to climate change mitigation or adaptation, e.g. tree planting and carbon sequestration. It is worth mentioning that the Foundation for Environmental Education also runs the Global Forest Fund, a tool that helps individuals calculate their carbon footprint of their transportation, and that provides them with the possibility to donate for climate-related projects with an educational component;

• ENERGY SAVINGS – Companies around the world are increasingly required to account not only for emissions that are related to their daily operations, but also for those that arise from the whole life cycle of the products or services they make use of. A big share of carbon emissions comes from energy and resource consumption. All certified establishments need to register their energy use at least once a month, identify ways to reduce consumption, and increase efficiency (criteria category 7). Green Key is also partnering up with startups and companies that deal in clean technologies and smart solutions to reduce GHG emissions from water, cleaning, textile, and the energy sector;

• SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION – Daily transportation of staff, resources and guests represent an important share of overall emissions the establishments are responsible for, even more so when activities revolve around a travel intensive sector such as the hospitality industry. Green Key asks its certified establishments to promote the use of sustainable transportation and provide it for staff (criteria 13.10, 13.12) and guests (12.2, 12.3), e.g. in the form of bike rentals and eco-friendly motorised vehicles used for daily operations. Charging stations should also be installed to support the transition to less polluting electric vehicles (7.26);

• CLIMATE CHANGE AWARENESS – A lot of carbon emissions can be prevented by changing behaviour. Therefore, information about energy savings and emission reduction initiatives of the establishment must be available for guests and they should be encouraged to take part in green activities and become active players in the fight for sustainability (criterion 3.4). Moreover, staff is periodically trained and involved in the environmental initiatives of the certified establishments (criteria 2.1, 2.3).

A document describing Green Key’s overall contribution to all 17 Sustainable Development Goals can be downloaded here.

Green Key and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals: SDG #17

Green Key is a leading standard of excellence in the field of sustainable tourism, guiding tourism establishments to do their part in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. In the past months, we presented all 17 SDGs and explained their connection to Green Key. Today we talk about the last goal, SDG 17!

In 2015, the UN member states adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to guide governments, the private sector and civil society in transforming our world into a safer, fairer and more livable place.   

On this page, you will learn more about Goal 17: "Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development".

What is Goal 17 about?

According to the UN, “Achieving the ambitious targets of the 2030 Agenda requires a revitalised and enhanced global partnership that brings together Governments, civil society, the private sector, the United Nations system and other actors and mobilises all available resources. Enhancing support to developing countries, in particular the least developed countries and the small island developing States, is fundamental to equitable progress for all”. In the link above, you can read about the targets and indicators to Goal 17.

Green Key’s global profile involves cooperation and partnerships among multiple stakeholders from the public, private and NGO sectors at various levels: At the local level between staff, guests, suppliers, and the surrounding community and at the national and international level between NGOs, corporate partners, authorities, and other partners involved in sustainable tourism. 

How does Green Key help to achieve goal 17?

Sustainable development can only be attained when businesses, civil society, NGOs, and governments contribute together to the same goals. Green Key believes in SDG 17’s global partnership for sustainable development and harnesses the power of its multi-stakeholder network to move further in the transition towards sustainability (SDG target 17.16).

Additionally, Green Key is partnering up with companies and startups in the field of clean technologies and smart solutions to spread sustainable technology as far and as broadly as possible (SDG target 17.7).

Green Key is also engaging with partner countries (with essential help from National Operators), institutional stakeholders, and NGO partners in the process of building collective capacity for sustainability (SDG target 17.9), for example by actively requiring establishments to measure their consumption and quantify their impacts on the environment.

Although SDG 17 shapes all actions undertaken by Green Key as a programme, we point out some of the ways 2022-2025 criteria help achieve the aforementioned targets:

• STRONG LOCAL PRESENCE – Thanks to Green Key's global network encompassing around about 60 countries, the programme can count on a variety of sustainable tourism experts who are ready to share their experience, knowledge, and ideas in close contact with applicant establishments all over the world. National Operators speak the local language, know national regulation and culture, and can assist establishments more closely in their path towards sustainability;

• INDEPENDENT, UNBIASED DECISION-MAKING - In most countries running the Green Key programme, either national juries composed of stakeholders from different sectors (e.g. national establishment associations, ministries of tourism/environment, representatives of the private sector or NGOs, etc.) or third-party auditors take the decision on the award, which ensures a broad and independent verification of the requirements, as well as a transparent and unbiased decision-making process;

• PARTNERING UP WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES - Green Key certified establishments must establish an active collaboration with relevant local stakeholders to enhance their active role in boosting environmental awareness and in promoting environmentally friendly practices in their surroundings (criterion 11.6). The aim of the programme is to actively engage businesses as ambassadors of sustainability and drivers for eco-friendly change across society;

• RELIABLE SUSTAINABILITY DATA – In line with SDG targets 17.18 and 17.19, Green Key believes in integrating education and awareness raising with a quantitative approach to the measurement of sustainability. Establishments are asked to register monthly/annual data on energy (criterion 7.1), water (criterion 4.1), waste (criterion 6.10), food waste (criterion 8.6) and GHG emissions (criterion 1.6) and input them in sustainability accounting database ECO-OS for further analysis by the Green Key staff. Annual reports are given back to the establishments, identifying opportunities for improvements and general trends in their environmental performance. Organised information on how the establishment is doing in terms of sustainability can support management and help leaders take more informed decisions to lower negative impacts on the environment and significantly move the hospitality industry closer to the common sustainability goal.

A document describing Green Key’s overall contribution to all 17 Sustainable Development Goals can be downloaded here.

Green Key and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals: SDG #6

Green Key is a leading standard of excellence in the field of sustainable tourism, guiding tourism establishments to do their part in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. In our new feature series we will present each of the 17 SDGs and explain their connection to Green Key. 

In 2015, the UN member states adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to guide governments, the private sector and civil society in transforming our world into safer, fairer and more livable place.   

On this page, you will learn more about Goal 6: "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all"

What is Goal 6 about?

According to the UN, "Water and sanitation are at the very core of sustainable development, critical to the survival of people and the planet. Goal 6 not only addresses the issues relating to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, but also the quality and sustainability of water resources worldwide.” In the link above, you can read about the targets and indicators to Goal 6. 

Tourism can be a major factor in the water consumption of a region, even more so in the case the country’s economy heavily relies on the hospitality industry for value. Water is used in the bathrooms of tourism accommodations, in the kitchens, for swimming pools and spa areas, for washing and cleaning, and for irrigating gardens and parks. Water management is even more of a key element for those establishments that operate in drought-susceptible areas or near the seaside, where marine ecosystems are easily affected by their operations.

How does Green Key help to achieve Goal 6?

Many of Green Key's criteria deal with the reduction of water consumption and the protection of water-related ecosystems as well as freshwater sources. In fact, criteria section 4 (see here) is entirely dedicated to water management, although sustainability in water resources can be considered a cross-sectional principle that should shape the whole activity structure of a Green Key certified establishment. The programme especially addresses SDG targets that have to do with reducing water pollution and protecting water-dependent ecosystems (SDG targets 6.3, 6.6), increasing water-use efficiency (SDG target 6.4), implementing integrated water management (SDG target 6.5), and enhancing capacity building related to water management in developing countries (SDG target 6.a).Here are some examples of what 2022-2025 criteria entail:

• MONITORING OF THE WATER CONSUMPTION - Green Key believes in the importance of monitoring sustainability with data on environmental performance. For this reason, Green Key uses ECO-OS as a sustainability accounting database, where the establishments’ water consumption data are registered periodically to evaluate the consumption and find opportunities for improvement (criterion 4.1). Green Key recommends certified establishment to monitor water consumption by installing separated meters in strategically important water-hubs of the premises, so as to easily identify potential areas where resources can be saved (criterion 4.13). Green Key is also offering a free calculation tool on its website to help tourism establishments calculate their water footprint; 

• WATER SAVINGS – A whole set of criteria is dedicated to water saving and making sure that little to no water is wasted due to lack of maintenance, faulty appliances, or inefficient tools (SDG target 6.4). This is particularly the case for toilets (criterion 4.2), leakages (4.3), showers (4.4), taps (4.5, 4.14), urinals (4.6), dishwashers (4.7 and 4.9) and swimming pools (4.11);

• WASTEWATER TREATMENT – In order to protect local ecosystems and drinking water sources from pollution risks (SDG target 6.3), all Green Key certified establishments install grease traps (criterion 4.10), and either must be connected to an existing public sewage system or must have an own on-site wastewater treatment system (4.8, 4.15). Wastewater treatment aims at neutralizing hazardous chemical and biological compounds in the establishments’ effluent before releasing it back into the environment;

• CHEMICALS IN WATER EFFLUENTS – Establishments are required to either pick cleaning products that are environmentally sound, or to altogether replace them with eco-friendly alternatives (criteria 5.3, 5.4, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 4.12). This can significantly improve the quality of water effluents generated from the establishment’s activities, thus saving down-stream resources and reagents needed for wastewater treatment processes. The same is true for pesticides and fertilizers used for gardening on Green Key establishments’ green areas, as eco-friendly and organic alternatives should always be deployed unless there is no alternative on the market (criterion 10.1). Polluted water can infiltrate the ground and contaminate freshwater reservoir, which makes sustainable gardening an important requirement for the reduction of environmental pollution;

• IRRIGATION OF GREEN AREAS - To reduce the water consumption in garden and park areas of Green Key certified establishments, smart watering systems must be implemented (criterion 10.3). As a good practice to reduce drinkable water consumption from freshwater reservoirs and other sources, establishments are also encouraged to collect and use rainwater for gardening and other suitable purposes (criterion 10.5);

• GUEST AND STAFF INVOLVEMENT - Green Key believes that the education of staff and guests is one main factor in reducing the water consumption in a tourism establishment. First, all staff members must be made aware of the establishment’s water saving initiatives (criteria 2.2, 2.3, 2.5), and the housekeeping staff must implement the procedures regarding towel and sheet reuse in daily operations, so as to lower water consumption related to laundry (criterion 2.4). Green Key certified establishments also engage guests in their sustainability commitment (criterion 3.4), by instructing guests about water savings, and by giving them the option to forego the cleaning of sheets, towels, and rooms (criteria 5.1, 5.2, 5.12).

A document describing Green Key’s overall contribution to all 17 Sustainable Development Goals can be downloaded here.

Green Key and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals: SDG #12

Green Key is a leading standard of excellence in the field of sustainable tourism, guiding tourism establishments in doing their part in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. In our new feature series we will present each of the 17 SDGs and explain their connection to Green Key. 

In 2015, the UN member states adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to guide governments, the private sector and civil society in transforming our world into safer, fairer and more livable place.   

On this page, you will learn more about Goal 12: "Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns".   

What is Goal 12 about?

According to the UN "Achieving Goal 12 requires a strong national framework for sustainable consumption and production that is integrated into national and sectoral plans, sustainable business practices and consumer behaviour, together with adherence to international norms on the management of hazardous chemicals and wastes."

How does Green Key help to achieve Goal 12?

SDG 12 lies at the very core of Green Key’s activities, as it sets its roots deep in societal consumption patterns (SDG target 12.1), as well as the way in which resources are handled throughout their entire lifecycle, from direct use (SDG targets 12.2) to disposal (SDG targets 12.3, 12.5), passing through handling and storing (SDG target 12.5). SDG 12 also addresses the challenges of sustainable tourism specifically, requiring stakeholders that play a role in the hospitality industry to monitor their activities (SDG target 12.b), to report them adequately and be accountable for their actions (SDG target 12.6), as well as to inform the public and share best practices, awareness, and involvement (SDG target 12.8). Green Key helps both tourism establishments and their guests to make more sustainable consumption decisions:

• SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - Green Key demands its certified establishments to meet high standards regarding the management and consumption of resources such as water (criteria section 4), energy (criteria section 7) and food (criteria section 8). Energy (criterion 7.1), water (4.1), waste (6.10), and GHG emission (1.6) data are monitored periodically, to identify vulnerabilities as well as opportunities for continuous improvement.

• WASTE MANAGEMENT - Green Key encourages their establishments to keep records of the amount and types of waste they produce (criteria 6.10, 8.6), and to have a waste reduction plan in place for several types of waste including food waste (criteria 6.15 and 8.4 respectively). Certified establishments are furthermore encouraged to compost their organic waste (criterion 6.17). On-site composting contributes to closing loose ends of the establishment’s resource cycles. The production of compost from organic residues enables microorganisms and other decomposers to turn a costly waste flow into a valuable resource, used for example as a fertiliser to sustainably boost crop yield and plant health;

• CHEMICAL HANDLING - The environmentally and health-sound management of chemicals as defined in the targets of Goal 12 is also an integral part of Green Key. The programme has a whole category of criteria dealing with the responsible management and reduction of waste (criteria section 6), as well as several requirements dealing with the responsible handling of chemicals (criteria 5.4, 5.8, 5.10, 6.6, 6.7). The objective is to reduce environmental pollution generated by the hospitality industry, in this case particularly by having wastewater effluent treated according to national standards before it is released back into the environment, as well as to save resources and reagents to clean such effluent, by increasing its quality at earlier stages;

• LEADING THE SUSTAINABILITY TRANSITION - Green Key certified establishments are encouraged to act as green ambassadors and take the lead in the transition towards sustainability, for example by encouraging suppliers and third-party operated businesses within their premises to operate according to the principles of sustainability (criteria 13.1, 13.4) and contribute to making production/consumption patterns more eco-friendly;

• SUSTAINABLE CONSUMER CHOICES – At the very foundation of Green Key being an eco-label lies the idea that consumers must be enabled to easily make informed decisions when it comes to picking accommodations and other services in the hospitality industry. The effort Green Key is putting in collaboration with its OTA (Online Travel Agencies) partners is meant to provide consumers with an easy and reliable way to differentiate establishments based on their environmental, sustainability and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) performance;  

• SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING – As SDG target 12.6 points out, it is more and more important for establishments and especially large, transnational chains to provide information on their environmental performance, and either take credit for their efforts or responsibilities for their shortcomings. Green Key is partnering up with international hotel chains operating all over the world and keeps engaging them in the transition to sustainability. Data on energy, water, waste, and carbon emissions are collected on a periodical basis to highlight trends, improvements, or opportunities to increase efficiency, while the programme gives its partners useful data back to include in their sustainability reports.

A document describing Green Key’s overall contribution to all 17 Sustainable Development Goals can be downloaded here.

Green Key and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals: SDG #10

Green Key is a leading standard of excellence in the field of sustainable tourism, guiding tourism establishments in doing their part in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. In our new feature series we will present each of the 17 SDGs and explain their connection to Green Key. 

In 2015, the UN member states adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to guide governments, the private sector and civil society in transforming our world into safer, fairer and more livable place.   

On this page, you will learn more about Goal 10: "Reduce inequality within and among countries".

What is Goal 10 about?

According to the UN, "Goal 10 calls for reducing inequalities in income as well as those based on age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status within a country. The Goal also addresses inequalities among countries, including those related to representation, migration and development assistance.” In the link above, you can read about the targets and indicators to Goal 10. 

In many developing countries, tourism is an important source of income and employment. However, these positive effects often do not reach those parts of society that would need it the most. If managed sustainably, however, tourism business can make a valuable contribution to the eradication of discrimination and inequalities. 

How does Green Key help to achieve goal 10?

The hospitality sector has a significant role in the provision of job opportunities to many workers, representing an important source of income for many countries. How this income is distributed also depends on how sustainable the management of the tourism establishment is. SDG target 10.2 clarifies that the social, economic, and political inclusion should be granted irrespective of “sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or other statuses”, and the Green Key programme shares this vision:

• STAFF SALARY - All employees working in Green Key certified establishments are paid at least a living wage, as compliance with local, national, and international regulations on labour is one of the imperative criteria, so the salary cannot lie below the legal minimum threshold (criterion 11.1);

• RECRUITMENT EQUITY - All Green Key certified establishments are encouraged to be equitable in hiring women and local minorities, including in management positions, while restraining from using child labour (criteria 11.2, 11.5). Fair conditions and justice at the workplace are at the core of the programme’s ethics and must be shared by all Green Key certified establishments.

A document describing Green Key’s overall contribution to all 17 Sustainable Development Goals can be downloaded here.